“I very much look forward to returning to Churchill Downs and getting back to the Winner’s Circle,” Bob Baffert said after his three-year suspension was lifted from Churchill Downs. This was a big deal since he got the chance to compete at the 2025 Kentucky Derby. Well, the race has wrapped up, and it looks like the dream of a glorious comeback for the 72-year-old trainer has come to an end.

On X, the official account of the Kentucky Derby shared the update, stating, “Sovereignty wins the 151st Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve.” How exciting is that? It’s a cluster of mixed emotions that the Godolphin horse triumphed, especially since it could have been a historic moment for Baffert.

Looks like we’ll have to wait for that seventh Kentucky Derby. It’s been a pretty rough campaign for Bob Baffert. What’s the reason for that? So, at the beginning, he had a bunch of choices for the Derby, but in the end, only three made it through. In the end, Rodriguez got scratched from the race, and with Madaket Road racing at Pat Day Mile, it left everyone hoping for Citizen Bull. But it seems like the colt didn’t quite have the day everyone was expecting from him.

So, what really happened at the Derby? The G1 race at Churchill Downs had its fair share of surprises and tricky weather conditions. Even with a messy track from the rain, Sovereignty, with Junior Alvarado in the saddle, pulled ahead to take the win, beating out the favorite Journalism, who came in second, and Baeza, who took third place. So, what’s the deal with Citizen Bull? What happened to him? The horse trained by Baffert got off to a solid start and held onto that lead for quite a while, but then he started to fade as they approached the final stretch.

Sovereignty’s win just adds to the Derby’s reputation for being unpredictable, keeping up that trend of surprising results we’ve seen in recent years. Yeah, even though the horse trained by William Mott had 5-1 odds, it wasn’t really standing out like Journalism and the other colts on the track. It seems like it’s going to be a fun day for everyone at Godolphin! However, it seems like the 151st Kentucky Derby winner already has a next destination.

A possible objective after crushing Bob Baffert’s seventh Kentucky Derby title hopes

It’s hard to believe that anyone would have thought Sovereignty could take the win at the 2025 Kentucky Derby and put a damper on Bob Baffert’s dreams. The trainer of the three-year-old colt has already shared his thoughts on what’s next for the horse in the upcoming race. On X, Ed DeRosa reported, “Bill Mott non committal on Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty’s Preakness Stakes participation. ‘The pressure is on now,’ he said. ‘If we didn’t win, we wouldn’t feel an obligation, but we’ll huddle up [with Godolphin] and do the right thing for the horse’.”

Mott’s statement shows the thoughtful consideration that goes into the decision about whether Sovereignty will take part in the upcoming Preakness Stakes. He pointed out the extra pressure that comes with winning a Derby, mentioning that if they hadn’t won, they wouldn’t feel the need to think about the next race.

Mott highlighted how crucial it is to make the right call for the horse’s well-being. He mentioned that he and the ownership group, Godolphin, will take a close look at Sovereignty’s condition and readiness before deciding on the Preakness. This approach really highlights how much they care about the horse’s health more than just chasing after the Triple Crown. Well, better luck next time, Bob Baffert!